I took Amber to girls camp at the beginning of the week. So I was in a house full of boys. This is what I had to deal with. While Amber's away the boys will play.

It was a hot and rainy week. Did my running as best I could. It gets very hard when the temps are high and we have 100% humidity. The body doesn't cool down very well and I don't want to pass out on the highway for some old farmer to find, and have him take me to the ER where Bret will just shake his head and say "I told you so." But I'm doing the best I can. My race is in 2 weeks and I'll be glad to have it over with. Running is starting to feel like a chore instead of something I like to do for fun. So when it's over it'll go back to being fun. Can't wait to see Sandi and her family though, should be soooo fun!



Took the boys to the pool a few times and we were so excited to be there. Summer is a fun time! I hope we have a long one. The thought of winter just sends nasty chills down my spine.

Keaton's 5th birthday

So we had Keaton's 5th birthday today! We all drove to Des Moines to visit Jennie and Kevin. They just had a new baby girl, and John and Marilyn flew in and Sheri was there with her little new baby. So we had a lot of wonderful things to celebrate! This is the only picture I got, because my camera that I did bring, was dead. But it was a lot of fun. We got there in the morning, the kids were so excited to see their cousins. They headed outside to the sandbox and trampoline. It was a beautiful day, the weather was perfect. Marilyn made cinnamon roles, which are always yummy, and we had some delicious salads and grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, and chicken legs. The men took the kids to the park for a while in the afternoon so us women could take care and enjoy the babies, and visit with out to many interruptions. We had the birthday party for Keaton after dinner. He opened his presents, and he got a few movies, play doe, a game boy, a fire truck, a skate board, which he got from his Aunt Sheri, two swords, a new Wii game, and hot wheels cars from his brothers. I brought a cake and a fruit pizza, which we all ate, and then Sheri took off to go home to Omaha. We stayed a little longer and had a Wii tournament. So much fun! I really like being with all the family. Everyone gets along so well and enjoys being with each other. All the kids get along well too, and that is very nice. It was just a fun day. I'm so glad we have some family out here close. It would be kinda lonely if we didn't.

We got home around 11, it was late but well worth it.

The Great Wolf Lodge

We had a fun weekend! We went to Kansas City and stayed at the Great Wolf Lodge. We picked up the kids about a half hour early from school, and drove 3 1/2 hours to get there around 6. Amber, Ben and Sam were very excited, Keaton had never been there before so he wasn't sure what to expect, but was feeding off of the other kids excitement. We checked into our room and quickly changed into our swim suits and headed for the best indoor water park around! As soon as we went through the doors the kids just took off! Ben, Sam and Amber headed for the water slides, and Keaton took off for the biggest jungle gym he'd ever seen with water spaying everywhere and lots of things to climb and water slides to slide down. I wasn't used to not having a little one to take care of in the kiddie pool, so I went to the lazy river and just relaxed for a while. Then Keaton wanted to go down some of the bigger slides and needed a parent. Bret was Sam so I went with him. The child has no fear! He didn't want to stop. The park closed at 9:00 so we had a great time for a couple of hours and, soaking wet, went up stairs to our room. On the way to the elevators, Keaton turned to me and said "Mom, can we stay here forever???" I think he liked it. I told him we could come back and play tomorrow. He was very happy to here that. Up in the room we dried off and changed into jammies and ordered a movie. The kids picked The Princes and the Frog. It was very late when it was over and didn't take much to get the kids in there beds and for the younger ones to fall asleep.
The next morning we got up bright and early and went down to the restaurant to have a great breakfast, then we did some shopping at the gift shop and let the kids get a souvenir. The water park opened at 9, and Bret wanted to go to the Cabellas that was right next door, so I took the boys to the water park, Amber wanted to do the Magic Quest game that they had there, so we split off to do our activities. I would've rather gone shopping at all the outlet stores they have there, but I new Bret would be happy to go to the Cabellas instead of taking the boys swimming. What I sacrifice for that man! We met up for lunch at Cabellas and did some walking around the store, and also went to the Big Nebraska Furniture Mart that is also right next to the lodge. We had to be out of the hotel by four, and I was tired of the water park, so Bret took the boys one last time, Amber finished her magic quest game and I walked around the different gift shops and got a few things for the kids for birthdays that are coming up.
At 4 we packed everything up and headed to our very dear friends and adopted family, the Buells. Were I took a much needed shower, and then we went to Apple bees for dinner. Back at the Buells we just relaxed and visited, while the kids played down stairs. I love having older children, and that my baby days are over. I can relax and visit so much more!
Sunday morning Bret and I were going to church with the Buells, it was their Stake Conference, so I told the kids they didn't have to come. They were a little to happy about that. I really enjoyed the meeting, and was able to listen to all of it and really enjoy the spirit that was there. I haven't been to such a wonderful church meeting in a long time. Or maybe it was the fact that I wasn't trying to keep my kids quiet or from arguing with each other, and was able to really concentrate and listen with out interruption.
We came back to the Buells and had a nice dinner/lunch with them and visited some more, then packed up and said good bye, and drove the 4 hours home. We had great weather and everything was fine when we pulled into our drive way. I wasn't ready to be home yet though. I could have used a few more days away. But the kids have one more week of school to get through, then we'll have summer to look forward to. We have some great plans and hope to make everything we want to do work, and find time to fit everything in.

I'm a dork and didn't take one picture of our mini vacation. Sorry about that. I was having to much fun and wasn't to excited about bringing my camera into a water park. Amber got a couple with hers thought so I'll have to steel them from her.

Face plant!

This is what happens when you run around the family room pushing a big car and you trip and fall over the car and hit the carpet with your face. He had a bloody nose as well. I took this after I cleaned that up. No sense in showing the gore. He went to school and got to show everyone his rug burn. He wasn't really happy with the attention.

But boys with be boys eh? Just in the last month we've used up an entire box of band-aids. School will be out the 28th of May, and they are all very excited. They are tired of going to bed early because they have school. They would rather play outside till dark. Try explaining to your 4 year old about the time change and the sun being up later in the spring and summer months. They just know the sun is still up! So why am I going to bed!